fr

approbation

(n.) the expression of approval or a favorable opinion, praise

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, to relieve; to quiet or calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, or quench

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

decadence

(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence

elicit

(v.) to draw forth or bring out from some source

expostulate

(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

hackneyed

(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality; cliché

hiatus

(n.) a gap, opening, or break in a series

innuendo

(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often derogatory)

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party in a disagreement; to mediate

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled

lurid

(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

meritorious

(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise

petulant

(adj.) easily irritated and upset

prerogative

(n.) a special right or privilege

provincial

(adj.) local; narrow in mind or outlook (n.) - a person with a narrow point of view

simulate

(v.) to imitate; to show the outer signs of

transcend

(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed

umbrage

(n.) shade; an overshadowing influence or power; a vague suspicion or resentment

unctuous

(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to seem earnest or sincere

ameliorate

(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

aplomb

(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity

bombastic

(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

callow

(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers

drivel

(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly

epitome

(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

exhort

(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly

ex officio

(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office

infringe

(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

ingratiate

(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

interloper

(n.) one who moves in where he or she in not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder

intrinsic

(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part

inveigh

(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

lassitude

(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

millennium

(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

occult

(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural

permeate

(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak though

precipitate

(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process

stringent

(adj.) strict, severely, rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

surmise

(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof

abominate

(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for

acculturation

(n.) the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend

adventitious

(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

ascribe

(v.) to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute

circuitous

(adj.) roundabout, not direct

commiserate

(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

enjoin

(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

expedite

(v.) to make easy, cause to progress faster

expiate

(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert

ferment

(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

inadvertent

(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

nominal

(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously

noncommittal

(adj.) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no

peculate

(v.) to steal something that has been given into one's trust; to take improperly for one's own use

proclivity

(n.) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

sangfroid

(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

seditious

(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

tenuous

(adj.) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

vitriolic

(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)

wheedle

(v.) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

affable

adj. courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

aggrandize

v. to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

amorphous

adj. shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity or cohesion

aura

n. that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

contraband

n. illegal traffic, smuggled goods; adj. illegal, prohibited

erudite

adj. scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

gossamer

adj. thin, light, delicate, insubstantial. n. a very thin, light cloth

infer

v. to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply

inscrutable

adj. incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

insular

adj. relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

irrevocable

adj. incapable of being changed or called back

propensity

n. a natural inclination or predilection toward

querulous

adj. peevish, complaining, fretful

remonstrate

v. to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

repudiate

v. to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

resilient

adj. able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

reverberate

v. to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

scurrilous

adj. coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul mouthed

sedulous

adj. persistent, showing industry and determination

sleazy

adj. thin or flimsy in texture, cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable.

Amnesty

(n.) A general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution.

Autonomy

(n.) Self-government, political control.

Axiomatic

(adj.) Self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule.

Blazon

(v.) To adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely.

Caveat

(n.) A warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior.

Equitable

(adj.) Fair, just, embodying principle of justice.

Extricate

(v.) To free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort.

Filch

(v.) To steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts.

Flout

(v.) To mock, treat with contempt.

Fractious

(adj.) Tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable.

Precept

(n.) A rule of conduct or action.

Salutary

(adj.) Beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

Scathing

(adj.) Bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm.

Scourge

(v.) To whip, punish severely. (n.) A cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism.

Sepulchral

(adj.) Funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal.

Soporific

(adj.) Tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy. (n.) Something that induces sleep.

Straitlaced

(adj.) Extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical.

Transient

(adj.) Lasting only a short time, fleeting. (n.) One who stays only a short time.

Unwieldy

(adj.) Not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity.

Vapid

(adj. Dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force